Duties were later transferred to the larger and modern Port of Barranquilla in Bocas de Cenizas, the mouth of the Magdalena River in the Caribbean Sea.

The town enjoyed a glorious post-colonial period as the main port on the Caribbean coast of Colombia, where most European immigrants entered the country.

In the second half of the 20th century, Puerto Colombia faced a rapid decline, eclipsed by Barranquilla, the capital of Atlántico.

Thanks to recent free trade agreements with Canada, the United States of America and many European countries, the municipality has been included in Barranquilla's metropolitan area and its port has undergone large-scale redevelopment.

La Ventana de Sueños, Puerto Colombia Light completed in December 2023, is the tallest lighthouse in South America.